Reactive or Proactive Care?

Our Stouffville chiropractor, Dr. Turner, will tell you, most people come to us for the first time because of pain. Usually, it’s some sort of musculoskeletal problem that has finally gotten bad enough to make them go to the chiropractor. In most cases, these people have already had some similar problem in the past, but it went away or never bothered them enough to seek chiropractic. When it became a crisis, then they did something about it.

In our office, we explain the difference between being reactive or proactive when it comes to health. Most people are reactive. They will wait until there is a perceivable problem or symptom; then do something to treat it. This is a poor strategy when it comes to health. It would make more sense to call it “sickcare” than “healthcare,” right? It’s the same as waiting until you have a toothache before you start brushing your teeth. The entire pharmaceutical industry is built upon this premise. The problem is that symptoms are always the result of a problem. They are your body’s way of letting you know there’s something wrong, but they are never the actual issue. The problem would be what is CAUSING the symptom. Usually, by the time a person can feel symptoms, the problem has been there awhile. There has been a period of dysfunction or “dis-ease” for days, weeks, months or even years before the inflammation got bad enough for it to be felt as pain or any other symptom.

At Stouffville Health Centre, we encourage our patients to be more proactive with their health. Similar to your dentist telling you to brush and floss your teeth, chiropractors suggest regular checks for subluxation as a form of “spinal hygiene.” By keeping the mouth clean, it promotes a healthier environment for the teeth, and they will function better and give you fewer problems. In chiropractic, if you keep the spine functioning and moving properly, it promotes a healthier environment for your brain and spinal cord. The more efficient the central nervous system is, the better it is able to control and coordinate all the other systems of the body. Therefore, we are able to adapt to our environments and fight off infection and dis-ease at a higher level.

So, don’t be reactive and wait to be in pain before getting checked for subluxation. Be proactive instead. Come in when you’re feeling awesome, and maintain that awesomeness even longer!